


In Life and in Death

by Captain_Repression



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Genre: Angst, Body Horror, Gore, Monster of the Week, Resurrection, Undead
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-29
Updated: 2019-08-20
Packaged: 2020-02-09 13:42:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 13,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18639256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Captain_Repression/pseuds/Captain_Repression
Summary: Sailor Jupiter is mortally wounded in a fight and Sailor Moon uses the power of the silver crystal to bring her back, but something went wrong, and things take a gruesome turn as death was not done with her body.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in 2003, but despite having been less experienced at the time, I think it's not bad.

"Firesoul!" Three of the creatures were destroyed by the flames. These enemies were weak, so much they only represented a moderate threat to mortals the warriors protected, but their number made them a challenge to their adversaries. Another half-man half-beast monster charged, Mercury took upon her to disorient it while Venus pierced it and the corpse consumed by itself. Seeming to understand despite their obvious lack of a mind that attacking one at the time left them no chance whatsoever, the creatures attacked together, without apparent consultation. Thirteen against four, the chances were about equal. Had Sailor Moon been there, the fight would have been brief, one "Moon Princess Halation" would have handled the multitude, but she was late and the others could very well manage.

Five had already fallen when a movement was visible one corner further. Usagi was finally coming at the site of the reunion the attack had cut short. Two beasts ran out the group of survivors, delighted by this new target.

"Moon Crystal Power Make Up!"

Foolish move. All along her endless transformation, Usagi was vulnerable to physical attacks and the lower demons' were lethal to whom couldn't dodge them. The others busy defending their own life, Jupiter ran toward the danger. Catching up on the monsters, she caught the forward one, a monstrous but small centaur, and hung to its body, dragging it to the ground. It had reddish fur with a blonde mane, its ugly and old head topped with a pair of bull's horns. It kicked, making her lose her grip, but she closed in, holding its legs to avoid blows and prevent it from getting up.

The other creature hadn't abandoned its companion, or maybe it just had smelled the fresh blood and chose the closest prey. From its shoulder, it took its bow and fitted an arrow. With unexpected precision, it avoided one of the bodies moving on the ground and pierced the other's heart.

The three warriors left behind hadn't lost time and the six remaining opponents were no more. The two who had run still lived, one struggling on the ground against Jupiter, the other, an archer, aiming at this one. Mercury attacked, her power wasn't the most powerful but it was the quickest, and encased the upper half of the archer's body in a mass of ice. It didn't die, but it couldn't do harm anymore, and if it couldn't free itself it would choke and die anyway.

The centaur got up but had little time to accomplish its vile deeds, as Sailormoon emerged from her transform process, the first thing she saw was the sharp horns followed by the rest of the being charging onto her, just to be caught up and engulfed by a ball of fire who left nothing of it. She was about to thank her friends but abruptly stopped when she saw an expanse of red at her feet.

Without a word, she kneeled and took Jupiter's hand. The woman didn't react. From the middle of her bloody chest, a wooden stick protruded, the end of an arrow. She reached to pull it out but changed her mind, if she remembered well it was something she shouldn't do. Mercury kneeled at the wounded's other side. She took her pulse while Moon begged her to wake up. The girl was even more alarmed when she rose her head to say they needed to call an ambulance immediately. Venus hesitated, then turned her back and ran toward a store farther down the street to use the phone.

On her side, Mercury didn't know what to do. Sure she wanted to be a doctor but for the moment she was a high school student, skilled of course, but certainly not a doctor. Jupiter's heart had stopped, by the time the ambulance would arrive she would be dead, but with an arrow in the heart attempting to resuscitate her would most likely finish her off, and pulling out the arrow would probably give the same result. Part of the problem solved itself. The monster in its ice cast passed away and its arrow vanished.

Moon saw Mercury hesitate, then begin to give her cardio-respiratory resuscitation, but within a few minutes death took its toll. The warrior reverted to her normal form, lacking the vital energy to maintain her transformation, Mercury abandonned her efforts and a heavy silence took place. Moon was now holding Makoto's hand against her face, dampening it with her tears, and two high pitched sobs were heard. Then she exploded: "Mako-chan! No, you can't die, wake up I beg you! Mako! Mako please don't die!"

She had grabbed her friend's shirt and shook her as if she could wake her from eternal sleep. Rei decided it was better to separate her from the body and tried at first softly, then firmly, to pull her in another direction. She almost had to fight her. She had made it to a few steps away when she escaped her. With an heartbreaking scream, Moon threw herself on the still warm corpse and held it in her arms. Digging her face into the curve of the shoulder to break into desperate cries. Her despair alone was strong enough to activate the silver crystal and a powerful light escaped it, but she neither saw or felt it.

"Please Mako-chan, I don't want you to die!"

She felt Rei's hand on her shoulder, but this time she didn't try to pry her away. She couldn't help but to expect her friend would at a moment or another wake up and tell her she's been an idiot to make so much noise for nothing, she was almost mad at her for not doing so. But she knew from where she was, she should have clearly heard her heartbeats, and there was nothing but an abominable silence.

Hands were pulling her away again, more timidly than how Rei would have done, it probably was Ami. How could her friends act so coldly? Didn't they feel the same way about Makoto's death? She only got away from that sinister silence answering her cries when a voice weakly whispered into her ear: "Usagi? Please, get off, you're crushing me."


	2. Chapter 2

She rose her tears drenched face and saw Mokoto's, who was trying to get up. "Mako! she screamed, I knew you wouldn't let me down!" Venus, who had remained calm until then, started to cry and hugged the miracle: "Never give us that kind of scare again!"

When the hugs got scarce enough to let her enjoy her freedom of movement, Makoto felt her chest, a few seconds ago an intolerable pain pierced it, now she felt… not really good, but not bad either. She hadn't even seen what had hurt her so bad, she had lost consciousness too fast. Judging from the others' reaction and the blood on her clothing, it was serious. "What happened?"   
\- Well… Venus hesitated, I'm not sure you'd be happy to know…   
\- One of the monsters, said Mercury, had hit you with an arrow. You remained almost ten minutes without heartbeat, then you lost your transformation. You were dead, but Usagi saved you.   
\- Ami! Can't you be any more blunt?   
\- Minako, beating around the bush doesn't make things better.   
\- Usagi, Makoto said, I suppose I owe you a big thank.   
\- Oh, she answered, I didn't know what I was doing, I didn't even know I had that power. So lets say a box of cupcakes will do…  
\- Usagi! exclaimed an outraged Mars.   
– You'll have your cakes, said Makoto, smiling, you know how I love to cook for my fans. I'll do it right after I take a good shower, I won't go around all day covered with blood.   
– Can we walk you home? I don't know for the others, but I was so worried!"

Moon and Mars didn't hesitate to follow Makoto, Mercury had some homework to do but opted for her friend and Venus went home, claiming if she was late for supper again it's her who would need to be resurrected.

The warriors assumed their normal form and left. It was about time, because the ambulance Minako had called was rounding the corner, they didn't want more complications than they already had. When they arrived, Makoto went directly to the bathroom, to Usagi's despair: she needed to go! Okay, it wasn't that urgent yet.

Makoto hurried and took off her blood soaked shirt and skirt. Such a stain, she would never be able to wash it off. In front of the mirror, she examined herself as she always did after a battle, to make sure she didn't have anything that looked too bad to be left to heal by itself. The sole of her feet and the tip of her fingers had a deep red colour and she didn't know why. Her skin tone didn't look good, a little greyish, but it may have been the contrast with the blood colouring large surfaces of her skin. The wound on her chest… was still there. Additionnally, she had a scratch on a knee and one cut on the arm, but that much was normal after a fight.

The hole under her breast looked worrisome, but she wouldn't see it properly before cleaning herself. Soon, the water splashed her skin and ran through the drain reddened with blood. Her friends waiting for her in the living room, she didn't wash thoroughly, just enough to feel clean, then she dried herself and returned to the mirror.

It wasn't reassuring. If she raised her arm, the wound opened enough that she could see the muscle stretched between her ribs and the hole in that muscle, and farther… she saw nothing else than a burgundy mass, but she'd bet if she inserted a finger she'd find an opening. Sailor Moon gave her back life, but neglected to heal the wound that had killed her. When the girls would be gone she'd go to the clinic, she didn't want it to kill her again.

She swore when she realised she had forgotten to bring clean clothes and ran to her room with her towel around the body. Hastily, she dropped it, pulled random clothes from a drawer and put them on. She took a comb and was about to get out when…

"Usagi, what are you doing in my room?   
\- Well… I was looking at your pretty flowers when you came in.   
– You didn't look at me, at least?   
\- Don't worry! Your butt looks pretty much like mine so there's no fuss to do about it!   
\- Please don't talk about your butt, I don't want nightmares! I'm going back to the living room, are you coming or do you prefer eyeing my African violets?"

Makoto stopped in the kitchen to begin making tea and brought cookies to the living room while the water heated. The girls stayed long to keep her company, it was nice but she found the attention excessive, she had only suffered a few moments but they, judging from their excitement to discover her alive, had a pretty bad time. It bothered her a bit, she needed to see a doctor but not worry them any more, and they stayed past the clinics' closing time.   
When they left, she decided not to do anything yet, neither the cupcakes, nor the doctor. Tomorrow would be better, especially for the cakes, so they'd be fresh when Usagi would have them, on lunchtime of course for the girl would certainly be too late to see her before class. And it allowed her to get to bed early, she had one of those cramps one don't get often in the neck, she could barely turn her head and felt it was the kind of thing that tend to spread, rest was the best cure for that.

She went to the bathroom and urinated a remarkably small amount of liquid for someone who hadn't relieved herself since the morning, brushed her teeth, then disinfected and dressed her wound. By the time she was done, the stiffness had spread to her jaw and shoulders, and she got to bed hoping it wasn't one of those flues who makes you wish you were dead for a whole week.


	3. Chapter 3

Usagi was late already, as usual, when to improve nothing her mother stopped her on her way to the door: "Phone Usagi, hurry up or you'll be late.   
\- I'm already late, mom. Moshi moshi ?   
\- Usagi, said a strangled voice, it's Mako.   
\- You don't sound well, what is it?   
\- Nothing, she answered with obvious difficulty, a cold. We have the same classes today, can you tell me what I'm missing?  
\- Of course! Are you sure you're alright? You sound like you're speaking with a potato in your mouth.   
\- Thanks Usagi." 

Makoto said nothing more but only hung up a long moment later. Usagi left to school and a true miracle happened: she actually listened in class and seriously took notes. She did by friendship many things she would neglect to do by duty. On lunchtime, she joined Ami in the computer lab where she was eating with one hand and working with the other. So that's why there were so many crumbs in the keyboards, she thought. 

"Ami ? Am I disturbing you?   
\- Of course not! Do you have a problem?   
\- Yes, I'm worried about Makoto.   
\- We were all afraid to lose her yesterday, I think we'll all worry for a while, it's normal.  
\- When we left yesterday, she was so pale, and this morning she called me to say she couldn't come to school. If you had heard her voice on the phone, you'd think speaking was an immense effort.  
\- We'll pay her a little surprise visit tonight, to make sure she's alright. Otherwise we'll drag her by force to the hospital, okay?"

Usagi nodded, still unable to forget that fear clinging to her mind. That despair she had felt listening to the silence of death haunted her, she kept thinking about it. Of course she feared for Makoto! The strongest of the group, a mythical warrior gifted with mighty powers… defeated by a simple arrow, the Sailors were little more than mortals, more fragile even regarding the terrible dangers they faced. Of course she felt her group awfully vulnerable! She could lose one of her friends anytime, this time for good! 

As she watched Ami get back to work, she felt tears coming to her eyes. Ami was all the opposite of Makoto, so delicate, timid and silent. She looked so fragile! And she was mortal! MORTAL! She had to protect them all, she had failed less than twenty-four hours ago. How could she hope to protect Earth if she let her friends die? 

She was often seen crying, but this time she was ashamed, ashamed of her failure, and she ran into the washroom to hide. In all the day, she didn't even touch her dinner.

Mamoru, after college, was waiting for Usagi in front of her school, she generally came out of detention at the time he arrived, and he didn't miss her this day either. It did happen, days where she wasn't kept after class, or more or less long. But this time she almost passed him without seeing him. In the company of Ami, she walked quickly and without sauntering. Her serious look seemed seriously out of place on her face, she was usually so charmingly careless. Something wasn't right. 

"Usako, he called, Usako, is everything alright?   
\- Mamo-chan ! Can you come with us please? I'm feeling all sad.   
\- But what's happening, odango ?   
\- I failed to protect my friends, she admitted gazing down, Makoto was killed. The silver crystal saved her but I'm so afraid to lose her again. Or one of the others. Or you, Mamoru!   
\- Usagi, you should rather cheer, you did save her! You're a good warrior and I know we're safe with you.   
\- No! Trusting me has done enough harm!   
\- Usako, everything will be fine, you'll see." 

They knocked on the apartment's door. There was no answer, but the young woman was generally trusting and often forgot to lock, so they came in anyway. On the living room table, the empty cups and cookie plate from the evening still laid there. Neglecting cleaning was not like Makoto, even sick. 

Usagi called, then walked farther into the apartment, followed by the others. The bloody clothes were still on the bathroom floor. The bedroom door was open, so they walked in. Makoto was under the sheet, pillow over her head and an arm over the pillow, on her side. Her pants were on the floor, but she had kept her shirt, wrinkled by the night. 

At her approach, the hand clenched, grabbing the pillowcase, and came down with the pillow. Behind, Ami and Mamoru were closing in. Makoto's hair was undone, they didn't see her like that often, it suited her nicely, and directed a large green eye toward the intruder, the other hidden by the sheet. "Coming for my flowers, I bet?"

Usagi didn't understand immediately, then remembered the previous day and smiled. "Idiot, we came for you!" The brown-haired girl stretched a leg and rolled on her back, her hands not moving an inch next to her body, as if she had been a wooden mannequin. On her right cheek, on which she had leant, a large white mark covered the skin from the temple to the jaw. "Makoto! she exclaimed, Your face!" 

Ami came closer and looked. The mark was very pale, slightly yellowish maybe, and blurred. If she remembered well, pigmentation problems generally had a clear contour and didn't appear from one day to another. "I've never heard of anything like that, she began, but of course, there's still a lot of things I don't know. All I can say is it's not something we see everyday.   
\- What? said Makoto, What is it? Mamoru, there's a mirror in the top drawer next to you, give it to me."   
The young man obeyed and she grabbed the handle, inclining it toward her face. "Oh, just that? Hearing you we'd think I'm missing half of my face!" She handed back the mirror and Mamoru put it back in its drawer.   
"My mother will probably accept to see you if I ask her, Ami offered, she's a good doctor.   
\- No thanks, I already have an appointment.   
\- For free.   
\- I have an insurance, with all our fighting, what did you think?   
\- Speaking of insurance, slipped Usagi, did you reread your life insurance contract? If the words are loose enough maybe you can get the money!   
\- I don't think resurrection is covered. And you would be getting the insurance money.   
\- Me?   
\- The life insurance came with the package and I don't have a family.   
\- Hmm, I think I missed a part, said Mamoru. Makoto, isn't your arm tiring?"

  
Makoto looked up and saw that despite having let it drop, her arm had kept its upward position. She lowered it. "I have bizarre cramps like that since yesterday, that's why I didn't go to school, it's not very serious, it doesn't even hurt, it's just annoying.  
\- When's your appointment? Usagi asked.   
\- Wednesday.   
\- It's two days! You won't die till then?   
\- Ah no! Once a week is enough!"

  
They left about half an hour later, Mamoru realising he still didn't know enough to really grasp what was going on. Usagi was only vaguely reinsured, okay Makoto would survive that, but her shape wasn't too bright. She hoped she would get better soon, and not only because she had to pay attention in class for her.


	4. Chapter 4

Wednesday morning, Usagi left for school in advance. Her eyes kept closing on their own will, she hadn't slept much. Around three in the morning, a nightmare had torn sleep away from her. She saw Makoto's death again, and that horrible silence that wouldn't leave her head. And as it had really happened, the body suddenly moved without breaking that silence. Until it spoke.

"You abandonned me! You let me die!"

  
She wanted to explain, to justify herself, but the others began: "We can't count on her!   
\- She'll abandon us, too!   
\- She's selfish, crual, she'll sacrifice us like she sacrificed Makoto!   
\- She's not worthy of being called a warrior, she can't do her job!   
\- Murderer! Unreliable, selfish traitor!   
\- If she hadn't been late nothing would have happened!"

While she backed away from their accusations, a flame had surrounded Makoto, devouring her flesh, and the disintegrating body walked, reaching for her with its skeletal arms: "You left me to die!"

She didn't know what would have happened then if she hadn't woken up, but she doubted it would have been agreeable. She didn't fall asleep again, kept wide awake, guilt and the fear of more nightmares. And while she was awake, why not getting up early to go to school?

  
On her way, she met Ami, walking slowly, looking down onto a book. She looked up, greeted her and resumed reading, adjusting her gait to match hers. Soon they walked in the school yard, and noting Usagi hadn't opened her mouth of all the way, Ami positioned her bookmark and closed the book. 

"Still feeling miserable about Sunday?   
\- Don't you?   
\- Saying no would be lying. But we have other concerns, we still know nothing about the enemy, they can attack anytime and seem to love Juuban.   
\- You're right, I'll protect you better by eliminating them as soon as possible!   
\- There's not only us Usagi, remember your mission is to protect humans before anything else. We have our powers, mortals don't.   
\- We are mortal! It's not fair, why isn't it though guys like in the TV who protect the world?   
\- Because that kind of people don't exist. Do you know what I mean? Listening to you, we'd think we should give up the fight not to get hurt. We can't think of that, we can't allow ourselves to fear!   
\- You are cruel, Ami!" 

Usagi left her friend there and disappeared between the groups of students starting to gather. All along the first course, she looked forward for the second one, it was a catch up course so her friends didn't have to follow it, she wouldn't have to take notes. She still would have preferred no class at all, and her wish was granted: shortly before the beginning, her communicator rang. It was Rei: "The enemy is in my school, I counted five but there are more. Hurry up, there's already casualties." 

The teacher, noticing the ringing, interjected Usagi: "No pager and no cell-phone in my classroom, should I confiscate this device, miss Tsukino?"   
Usagi didn't even bother to answer and ran out of the class, then of the school. The way to Rei's school wasn't very familiar, but she didn't get lost and arrived at the same time as Minako, Ami still missing. From outside, signs of unrest were already visible. 

Far from calling herself a connoisseur in the subject of catholic schools, she would have bet it was not normal activity when a nun flied through a window, followed by a rain of glass shards and a sharp fanged, monstrous bipedal werewolf. The two warriors transformed and with only one attack from her tiara, Sailor Moon destroyed the imprudent creature. 

Then they walked in. Everything was trashed. A horde of terrified students was running toward the exit and they had to flatten against the wall not to get trampled. Farther, an unconscious young girl laid in the way. Wishing she had fallen after the passage of the mob, she pushed her out of the way. Many of the door windows were broken, the paint either torn from the walls or blackened by smoke. Shards and chunks of plaster laid around the floor, through school furniture and the occasional drop of blood.

The one responsible of this mess strolled at a distance and needless to say he was delighted to see two new victims, lacking the intelligence to realise he was in fact the one in danger. It was an half-man half-lion creature, having of a man only the bottom half of the body actually. Its fire-coloured mane moved by itself as thought it was made of the said element, and its whip-like tail reminded of a white hot iron cable. Its face had this disgraceful evil look of all the current enemies. As it advanced, it opened its mouth, showing impressive fangs, and blew a stream of flames who swept the floor before it. Moon held back a frightened whimper, but Venus wasn't impressed. She stepped in front of Moon and shouted: "Meteor Shower!" The beast was riddled with dozens of light beams, to the point of being cut into pieces, who disappeared before even falling to the ground. Moon caught her by the shoulder and violently pulled, then grabbed her by the collar: "NEVER PUT YOURSELF IN FRONT OF ME!   
\- But Usagi…   
\- It's dangerous! I forbid you do that!   
\- You had frozen, if I had done nothing it would have…   
\- Please, she said more softly with cries in her voice, don't take risks for me!" 

Minako put her hand on her shoulder and probably would have said something when reality spoke first: a blow shook the walls before a shattering glass sound and a high-pitched scream were heard. Their scene ruined, they didn't insist and followed the noise. It was no surprise to find themselves in front of another monster. 

A human torso complete with muscular arms topped a snake's body, coiled around a nun, choking her slowly. Usagi didn't hesitate this time and threw her tiara. Its head torn off, the warriors expected to see it disappear, but it pursued its deadly work while another head grew, the one of a snake this time. While it grew bigger, the manly torso inflated, then ruptured and fell in two halves on the floor, leaving the two young women to face a monstrous twenty meters snake. It squeezed the nun until the snapping of bones could be heard, then threw down the motionless body. Then it charged them, its open mouth exposing its poisoned fangs. Venus attacked, without exposing herself this time, and while the enemy skilfully avoided each of her light projectiles, Moon activated her sceptre and was ready to finish it off before it could attack again. Him dead, she made sure the nun was alive and sighed. "Is it me or are they getting stronger?   
\- This one was stronger, it's meaningless. Did you notice there was no female enemy?  
\- Are you thinking we should hit below the belt?"

Venus shook her head with discouragement, then they pursued their advance in the devastated corridors. Finding Mars would be of certain help, she probably knew more about the logic of this attack, but this school was large and maze-like. 

After meeting two enemies, a kind of hog who was so stupid it charged into a wall and smashed its own skull, and a ridiculous mouse-headed dwarf who, tall like one hand and too busy running away to pose a threat, enjoyed their clemency, they came to an area where the walls were completely burned and one could smell nothing but smoke. Either their next enemy would be a dragon, either Mars had been there. 

Sections of walls were intact, but the traces of fire were frequent enough to form a clear path. Strictly no monster was there, this probably was the work of their ally. No, not exactly, they did see one enemy, in a classroom, but it didn't get their attention: a merman weakly crawled, its gills pulsing in vain on its neck. The monsters were really dispatched randomly, well Moon saw no logic behind this. 

After a while, they saw a black form cross the way farther away and they went after it. As soon as in shooting range, Venus began her attack but interrupter after two syllables; what she had a moment earlier mistaken for a monster was in fact Sailor Mars, rendered unrecognisable by battles. She hadn't been mutilated or anything, but so much smoke was emitted by her attacks that soot had completely blackened her skin and clothes, and her now tangled, disproportionate hair broke her silhouette. 

"Mars! Moon called. Is everything fine?  
\- Yes! I've cleaned up wing C, with the amount of monsters there there mustn't be much more left!   
\- We killed four and let two run. Do you understand something about this attack?   
\- They appeared around the classroom, some inside it, but they pick on anyone and any way, they dispersed. There's nothing to understand, the enemy has time to waste!   
\- I think we'd be better helping people to evacuate rather than just fight the remaining monsters, the police's weapons should take care of them. But if some students are still here they're in danger.   
\- Alright, I'll guide you!"

Hidden in various rooms, it was sometimes whole classes who were waiting, fearing the worst. Walking groups of terrified teens and teachers, they did meet a few monsters, but the worst was behind and they took around sixty persons to safety. Then the authorities showed up and they ran. 

"I should go back, said Rei after a while.  
\- What! Usagi shouted.   
\- Not in the school, in the yard. They'll count the students to make sure no one is missing, I'd rather be around.   
\- Ah, okay.   
\- Ami isn't there? She's usually so assiduous…  
\- Oh no! I didn't wait for her, she must be there on her own! Maybe she's hurt! Maybe dead! I have to save her! I…   
\- Usagi, Minako interrupted, if I have the right schedule Ami was in gym class when Rei called, she probably didn't have her communicator with her.   
\- But what if she had left after class? She she found the message?   
\- You worry too much. Minako paused then added : Usagi, you should consult a therapist, you're hurting yourself feeling guilty like that."

  
Usagi denied feeling guilty, it was purely and simply worry, she insisted, but said nothing more before heading back to school.


	5. Chapter 5

Thursday morning, after another night of nightmares, Usagi was pleasantly surprised when she arrived at school. Makoto was there, and seemed to be doing well. Despite the risk of being late to class if she didn't report there immediately, she stopped her and made sure appearances weren't deceiving: "Mako! So, what did the doctor say?  
\- Oh Usagi, I didn't go. I don't know what I had, but it's over. Makoto the Great is back, like it or not!  
\- You are an idiot! What if it comes back?  
\- Then I'll go. Who do you think I am? … Ah, but what do you have about me today?"

She punctuated her last sentence with a thundering slap on her arm and Usagi concluded the interjection was intended for a fly whose tiny black corpse was falling toward the floor this very moment. The bizarre rash on her fingers hadn't subsided, the dark red tip of her fingers contrasting with the impossibly white palm of her hand and the stripes of that same white on the back of the hand, matched with a greyish colour that looked no good, remained, and the one on her face must have done the same, she wore a complete make up, she who never put on more than lipstick usually. She was about to scold her about that when the bell announced the beginning of class and the young woman escaped her. She strolled to the class, thinking little of the punishment awaiting her.

The enemies rarely attacked anywhere than in their immediate proximity. Either their leader was mocking them, either he was only after them, too stupid to realise they were too strong, or he wanted to study them before the real fight. And of course, three warriors in the same building, it was begging for it. During the afternoon, two courses before the end of class, the fire alarm rang.

Brazen and persuaded it was only one more exercise, the students came out calmly from the classrooms, enjoying this unique chance to chat. Usagi gave in and joined a conversation between Naru and Kuri. The exit was in sight when a hideous form came out of a corridor crossing theirs. In front of the windowed door, against the light, only its silhouette was visible, but it was more reminding of an insect than of the human it had the size of, and it was enough to create a movement of panic. Not daring to transform in front of the group, Usagi followed, looking for an occasion to leave the group.

She didn't have to. Someone shoved her while pushing his way through the crowd against the way of the retreat, she didn't see the person but recognised the voice: 

"Double Shabon Freeze and Spray!"

Conveniently hidden by the fog, she transformed. The group had resumed fleeing and there wasn't too much people to get in the way. The creature was half trapped into the ice, but unlike the archer, it didn't render it powerless.

A small block of ice detached from the mass, then a larger one, and a monstrous segmented leg came out, managing to cling to Mercury's clothes.

Moon didn't wait and threw her tiara with a boomerang effect, she didn't want to have to run after it, there was no time for that, and it sliced the giant insect's leg. It had for other effect to shatter the ice and free the beast, which threw itself on Mercury, easily lifting her bogy and taking it to its hideous mandibles. Mercury screamed painfully, beating the creature with her fists and feet, managing to pull out one of its antennas, which only made it angrier.

The tiara finished its ellipse and was now coming back, and with an hardly believable luck, sliced in two halves the thorax where the two legs holding the warrior were attacked. Mercury fell, the horrible head still attached to her side. She pulled it off. Moon picked back her tiara while the remains convulsively stirred, then disappeared, and bent over Mercury.

It wasn't a pretty sight. In fact, there was nothing to see, her side was soaked with so much blood it was impossible to guess what it could hide. She was on the verge of panic when Mercury sat. "That damned thing! It tried to eat me!  
\- Ami! Are you going to be alright?  
\- Yes, it just sliced in the fat, it hurts badly but a few stitches should do.  
\- Wow! It's lucky you're fat!  
\- What? Me, fat?  
\- Well, you have to accept the fact you'll never be as beautiful and slender as me!  
\- Grow up, Usagi."

Usagi let Ami convince her she only had minor cuts and returned with her to the centre of the school, to face whatever other monsters were left there was and evacuate whatever other victims were left. They met nothing for a while.

Then they heard a short raging scream, the kind one lets out while delivering a good blow, and the voice was Makoto's. They ran and found their friend engaged in a fistfight against a large monkey with evil red eyes and a long tail that twitched like a snake preparing to strike. Usagi threw her tiara, cutting the monkey's throat.

"I'm glad you're there, she said with relief, I can't transform, it's a nuisance.  
– I'll see if my computer can find out why. Usagi, you cover us, don't you?  
\- Of course Ami."

Mercury activated her visor and took out her computer, then analysed the inoperative transformation tool. "I don't understand… it reacts normally to the test, it seems it didn't receive the necessary energy to initiate the transformation… that must be the source of the problem…  
\- Wow, you have a program that analyses transformation tools? Moon asked while reading over her shoulder.  
– I used it several times during the Millennium, I probably designed it but I don't remember and… Usagi! Who is watching right now?  
\- Hmm… sorry…  
\- Lets see… Well this is unusual, if I analyse your energy, Mako, it says you are Usagi!  
\- WHAT? Makoto said, shocked, This damned machine is provoking me, or what?  
\- I think… when Usagi resurrected you, she gave you some of her energy, in a few days it should take back your frequencies.  
– I hope so… What would I do if I began turning into Usagi?  
\- Come on, she's not that bad, just a little… I would really, really pity you."

Sailor Moon, hearing this, faced the girls that dared to call themselves her friends, arms crossed, and ordered to return to combat. They advanced farther in the school, but found only one beast, and unconscious on top of that. A creature reminding of illustrations of the demon Lucifer, with the feet and horns of a goat, a bloody red skin tone, but without the misleading beauty of the mythological character, was obviously wounded. Makoto stated she had fought it earlier. Mercury, bending down, took a lecture of its energy, then let Sailor Moon take care of it. She finished it off with her sceptre, only needing to activate it partially.


	6. Chapter 6

Six stitches and a prescription of antibiotics, like Ami had predicted, was it took to treat her wound. She had had all her time to work on her computer and come to her conclusions in the waiting room, and there was many things Usagi would want to know.   
She would show her everything the next day, for tonight it was late. At school probably, such a small attack didn't justify closing it. Information about the enemy… and about their own group.   
First, the enemies were made of pure energy. Sent as an attack by some entity, they took shape when entering the real world, and judging by the roughly designed creatures, their master probably wasn't very experienced, or it was under-skilled. It was logical to think he was aiming at the warriors, but without recognising them given the blind aggression of the beasts. They were all male. By their creator's preference? Because it was male itself? Was there a metaphysical reason, a Yin energy that could help guess their other attributes? Probably not, she thought, that would be too easy.  
The frequency of the attacks followed no logic, but it was in inverse proportion to the quantity of enemies that appeared. The later it happened, the more of them there was. That proportion was weakening lately, the entity was tiring. Was it stupid enough to defeat itself via exhaustion?   
Then there was Makoto. She had watered it down in front of her, but the state of her energy was alarming. Not only was its level excessively low, it came directly from Sailor Moon, she had no reserve at all, at each of her movements she borrowed strength from Usagi. It would not harm her, or if it did, very little, but would Makoto be dependent forever? In a way, it was like she wasn't really resurrected.

  
Makoto got undressed in front of the mirror. Though hadn't been feeling pain for a little while, she sensed the flesh rip when she gave or received a strong enough blow. Her body was horrible to see. Most of her skin had lost its greyish colour for a sinister white. The wound between her ribs had widened, the desiccating flesh shrinking and pulling away from the gash. The skin was hard and dry around it. A yellow liquid, with an occasional red streak, constantly seeped out.   
Despite the make up, her hollow cheeks and sunken eyes were clearly visible, she had lost much weight as her body lost water. Her forehead was marked with a large star shaped wound, a blow she had received, who didn't bleed despite its depth. The skin on her knuckles was slit in the same manner. The scratches from the last fight hadn't begun to heal, they dried like the other, and emitted a repulsive smell. Small white dots were embedded in the one on her arm.   
She always kept a water bottle with her, because her mouth was so dry if she didn't moisten her tongue and throat from times to times she had trouble speaking clearly, and the regular sips helped wash away the persisting bad taste in the mouth. That hadn't prevented her lips to completely dry and break until all the skin was ripped off. She also needed to reapply eyes drop constantly, otherwise her eyes' surface dried too and she didn't see well, plus it gave her a disagreeable rubbing feeling… like right now on the right side.   
She looked closer in the mirror and moved back with disgust. What was annoying her was a piece of conjunctive probably torn by a particle of sand and the movements of her eye, and slowly peeled off by friction. She carefully cut it between two nails and threw in down the drain with a disgusted shiver.   
She knew, deep inside her, what was happening to her body, but she didn't want to know. That's why she didn't want to see a doctor, she was afraid the truth would be worse than ignorance. She washed, applied alcohol on the lesions and went to bed, not expecting to either sleep or really be awake, just to wait for the morning. She would go to school, maybe Monday too, Tuesday who knows, Wednesday? If it was what she feared, her masquerade wouldn't last so long.


	7. Chapter 7

A make-up kit, the size of a small handbag, red with little white flowers, made of a cheap shiny plastic. It wasn't an article commonly seen at the hand of the green-eyed young woman walking between two courses. If it wasn't for her mother had liked it, she would have thrown it away long ago, the object being neither particularly pretty nor useful.   
In addition to this kit, Makoto wore a thick black pantyhose under her skirt, cotton gloves, a think mask of make-up slightly less clumsy than the previous day's and a touch of a heavy perfume that would have done better with more moderation. Her heavy, joyless pace carried her to a washroom on the first floor who, due to its distance from most classrooms and its unsubtle smell, was generally deserted. Keeping an acceptable appearance was increasingly demanding.  
She touched up the area around the eyes where the make up was affected by the drops she used to moisten her eyes, and had to use a wet Q-tips to dislodge some mold that enjoyed the moisture. She refilled her water bottle and took a small sip, not more not to feed the stench pit her stomach was turning into. Her last meal was rotting in it, inflating it with gas in a way that would probably be awfully painful to anyone who would still feel their body.   
She took off her gloves and inspected her fingers. Her wounded hand had grown thinner, the flesh quickly dehydrating, otherwise there wasn't too mush change. Her arms pretty much the same too, except for the white dots, who had now hatched into horrible little squirming maggots. She almost screamed and, without daring to look, soaked a towel with alcohol and vigorously scrubbed. Most of the worms were dislodged or poisoned by the alcohol, but the quickest ones were already under the skin, making a feast of the putrefied flesh.   
She pulled down her sleeves, put her gloves back on and picked up the assortment of bottles she had pulled from her kit. Without looking up from the floor, she came out and headed to the class, not to be late.

  
Friday being the usual meeting day for the warriors, Makoto forced herself to get to their usual meeting place. Still wanting to hide the plague devouring her, she had acted normally and prepared the cupcakes she owed to Usagi before school, and a plate of chocolate fudge for Minako, whose birthday was only in a couple of days.   
Her presents met their goals, they enjoyed them, but she wasn't blind, not yet at least, forcing herself to smile and maintain her friendships fooled no one. So, when they parted, Usagi held her by the shoulder and invited herself to walk her home to do what Makoto wanted the least, speak.   
"I've seen you looking better, Mako-chan.   
– I'm a little tired, she lied, I was sick this week. I'm not completely well, I have to wear gloves because the skin thing is contagious.   
\- Hmm… maybe I shouldn't eat these cakes?   
\- I cooked with my hands in plastic bags, do you think I'm trying to poison you?   
\- Listen, I worry about you, did you look at yourself? You're all skinny, you hide every centimetre of skin, what is there to hide?   
\- Nothing. Nothing but what you already saw. Would you show that rash in public?  
– I suppose I wouldn't. But I would go to the doctor right away!   
\- How do you think I knew it was contagious? It's not very serious.   
– I feel like… do you think it's because of… last Saturday? Ami doesn't want me to tell you not to alarm you but… you have absolutely no energy! You're using mine, I don't know how though. Maybe you're sick because it's not enough, of it doesn't have the right vibration for you.   
– Or I'm a living dead. I might feel better if I roamed the city eating people's brains! Hmm… yeah… it's not you who can help me with that…  
\- Is the entire human race conspiring to mock me?   
\- Oh no! You uncovered our plan!   
On these words, she turned her back and ran. Usagi frowned. Makoto had purposely turned the conversation to ridicule before leaving, to make sure she wouldn't insist. She was already worried, and this, didn't it prove her right? Well, tomorrow she would hijack her date with Mamoru to visit her, she felt if she went alone the door would stay closed for her. Her friend had something to hide, that disease was much more sinister than she admitted.


	8. Chapter 8

The weekend had been wasted without Usagi managing to contact her friend, nor do anything else, held back by worry. She had spend all the evening with Mamoru knocking and even trying to break in at Makoto's. The bell wasn't working, the lock was on and no one answered. From outside, she had seen all the windows were open, by this cold weather, what an idea, it was late October!

Sunday, she had consulted Luna, Ami and Rei, to knowif they had any idea on how to act. Despite what she expected, Ami was of no help. Her only advice was that Makoto should immediately see a doctor, but didn't answer as to what to do if she refused. She still implied the warriors' next mission could be to break down a door and forcefully take a young lady out of her seclusion. It was Rei, this time, who found the most practical solution, and the plan arranged during the evening was now to be carried out.

Monday afternoon, right after school, before rush hour and the people who would unavoidably invade the alleys of the park they were playing in. Three of the warriors obviously had fun. To simulate at best the noises of an attack, they were actually faking one, running after each other, screaming like excited children. While Usagi called Makoto with her communicator, Minako ran after the others, growling, answered by a concert of high-pitched screams. Even Ami, despite her initial shyness, was absorbed into this childish task. Makoto wasn't responding, but Usagi transmitted anyway:

"Mako! We need help! We're at Juuban park, enemies… they're too numerous! Too powerful! Come fast, please! … we know how you can transform, but please… Argh!"  
The young women ceased their race, catching their breath. They hadn't played this game since they had turned six, but somehow it was still fun, even for a serious goal. Especially for the two bystanders who looked at them. "Do you realise, Ami said, how many lies you just said? Bad girl!  
\- And do you realise you are covered with dust, your hair is a mess, you left your books in the grass and you squeak like a squirrel in heat?"  
Ami blushed and got her things together. Then they went to a picnic table and waited for the missing warrior. Usagi looked up to follow a large bird, some kind of eagle, circling the sky. She didn't see that kind very often. Seeing her looking up, the others followed her gaze and noticed the bird in their turn.  
Flying above them, it turned, tracing a large circle. After a while, Ami consulted her computer. "Odd, she concluded, according to the distance I triangulated, to look this size an eagle should have a wingspan of… three metres eighty-six.  
– Maybe it's a weird kind of plane, Minako suggested.  
– Why would it be circling? Rei objected, Ami, are you sure of your computer?  
\- Yes, and I trust my eyes too. It looks huge, even at this distance. I'll check my database, but I doubt any Japanese species looks like that.  
\- Aah! Usagi cried, It's growing bigger!  
\- It's going down, you idiot! Rei answered."

And in fact, the shadowy form circling above them was tightening its spins and closing in. Frightening. A bird this side probably didn't eat mice. Minako looked around and screamed. An enormous dog was poorly hidden behind the trees. In a bush, two yellow eyes stared. She took little time to understand: "The enemy!"

They immediately transformed while the monstrous animals attacked. They had to hide under the table to avoid the claws of what they had thought was an eagle. It was really a man's body with a feathered head armed with a curved beak, with strong legs ending on enormous claws, with an overly muscular chest supporting wings fit to support such a weight. Its flight was stabilised by a tail of long feathers on its backside. The air displaced by its wings was, from this short distance, a violent wind.  
While they ducked this assault, the large dog leapt, barking. Its voice was almost human but it only made the anger it had in place of a mind. Its long, sturdy limbs showed it wasn't a normal canine. They had to leave their hiding place to escape its teeth. What was hidden in the bush didn't move.

Their play wasn't one anymore, there actually was an attack! The enemy was gaining experience, they were facing a handful of powerful monsters instead of dozens of diminished ones. Luckily, the dog was stupid and wanted to follow its prospect victims in a straight line, so it was squeezing with difficulty between the planks of the table. So they had the time to dodge the eagle, who was much quicker.

Mercury slowed the dog further by blocking its way with ice, but doing so the exposed herself and the bird would have broken her neck if Venus hadn't shot right into its left wing, unfortunately without great damage. The beam took two feathers but didn't touch the flesh. The creature instinctively turned from its flight to protect its wing from what had hurt it and only scratched its target.

It then regained altitude, tracing tight circles above the warriors. "Burning Mandala!" In one motion, it moved away from the flames. "Moon Tiara Action!" Such a slow projectile wasn't a threat to it. "Meteor Shower!" Even the multiple attack wasn't enough for its skilled body. "Shine Aqua Illusion!" The attack was poor when thrown upward and fell back without touching it. It climbed further, then dived, headed in such a way it could hit any of them with only a small motion. They flattened onto the ground and it missed, but it didn't have to go far to be ready to attack again and, to help nothing, the dog had just realised it could walk backward and it didn't seem happy of the delay.

Their life relied too often on this kind of coincidence… Makoto came just in time and caught the dog's legs with a twisting motion, tripping it, and kicked its breath out. The Sailors got up hastily and escaped the eagle again, who had taken too much speed and was too low to go after them. It righted itself with a kick on the ground and resumed its flight, climbing back to a few metres. Mars finished off the dog during that time, in the end it was a poor enemy. There was only the bird left, and that pair of eyes who still wouldn't leave the bush.

Makoto threw her transformation tool to Sailor Moon. Of course, the girl didn't catch it and had to pick it up from the ground. She had told her she knew how she could transform, it wasn't the best time to explain her they only wanted to trick her into coming out. She'd do some things with the stick, then say she had thought it would have worked, keeping the explanations for quieter times. Looking up, she saw the enemy wasn't about to attack, each time it was about to dive, Venus sent it a beam of light it had to avoid. She had time.

She thought a bit, then had an idea, one that could actually work! She lifted the stick in the way she had seen her guardians do so many times before and shouted: "Jupiter Power Make Up!"

The formula, even spoken by an unknown voice, activated the stick, who loaded itself with energy, her energy. Then she felt violent electric shocks in the fingers and she dropped it with a short squeak. On the ground, it continued emitting tiny lightnings. "Here, pick it up!" Makoto obeyed, and as soon as her hand closed around the tool, it indelicately pulled her back into the interrupted transformation sequence, as if preventing it to finish its work had angered it.

Once transformed, she looked at the monster again, then at her allies. They were looking at her only. Oh no! She hadn't thought of that, they could see much of her flesh like that, even her make-up had probably disappeared! In many spots, worms had hatched, she killed all the ones she found, but others were under her skin, eating holes under it, sucking it in, collapsing it into grotesque shapes. She scrubbed off any mold she found, but it didn't change her livid, unhealthy tone. All her body, like her face, was skinny and dehydrated, and the desiccated flesh around each wound was darkened and hard. A yellow liquid was beginning to soak front of her suit.

She knew the others didn't see that much details, she would only look like a very pale girl, skinny, covered with lesions, a very sick girl to say shortly, but judging from their face, they didn't expect that. Venus even neglected to keep the monster busy, and here it was charging them again, perfectly in line to hit Sailor Moon, who stood there stupidly frozen by surprise.

She let her worries aside, threw herself on her and pushed her on the ground, but she didn't have the time to get out of the way herself. The eagle would have had little to do to catch her and rip her apart, yet it missed. Worse, it hit her with its wing, without enough strength to throw her down, but enough to flip around in its flight, stall and crash in a cloud of dust.

Angry, it got up and jumped onto the place he had been hit, sweeping randomly with its sharp beak, that Jupiter easily avoided. She successfully summoned thunder, and it retreated with a raspy cry, flying difficultly with its partly burned feathers.  
"Jupiter! Moon exclaimed, It can't see you! … This fight is up to you!  
\- Oh no… it can't depend on me."

A look was enough to explain this reasoning. Her attack has spent most of the energy of her transformation, which destabilised. Her suit, or part of it, lost its cohesion and turned into a cloud of ribbons, then formed back, and the phenomenon happened over and over, she was reminding of a broken neon, frantically blinking in a struggle not to turn off. "I still have enough strength for a small lightning, but it won't be of much help. I'd rather hold it while you attack.  
\- No! Moon objected, It's too dangerous! What if you were hit?  
\- Don't worry! It's very light, I noticed when it ran into me, if Mercury…  
\- Of course! the girl finished for her, A little layer of ice, and it'll be too heavy to fly!"

They watched, waiting for it to dive again. It didn't take time, its damaged wings soared poorly and it tired quickly. It took aim at Venus this time, and as soon as it became obvious the girl laid down and Makoto stepped over her, ready for impact.  
As expected, the monster didn't see her and with a push on the chest, she toppled it. While she dragged it by large handfuls of feathers from its tail, the only spot where the beak and claws couldn't reach her, Mercury only had to spend one "Shabon Freeze" to load it with too much ice for its strength.

Powerless, it succumbed in one instant to Sailor Moon's sceptre. The danger was no more…

"What about the eyes in the bush?

Mars's question put them all back on their guard and they carefully closed in. As to prove they weren't an effect of the sun, the eyes blinked, but nothing moved. Mars decided not to wait for it to attack and to strike first, but she had to hold back her fire when Moon suddenly moved between her and the target. "Are you insane, dumpling head?"

For only explanation, she bent down, got back up and turned toward her, holding a small black cat wearing a red collar. Curiosity or fear had held their third ' _enemy'_ in its hiding place, it wouldn't cause too much trouble. Moon let the cat go free and got rid of her transformation, mimicked by Mars, Mercury and Venus. Jupiter kept her uncertain form. The danger really being gone this time, they could worry all they liked about their friend. "Makoto! Usagi exclaimed, How can you pretend you don't need help? Will I have to drag you by force to the hospital?  
\- I don't need to go! she replied in a hateful tone, which surprised the others as much as herself. Only you can help me, but I know you too well, you'd never do that for a friend!  
\- Come on, you know it's not true, tell me what to do and I will at once.  
\- This energy you're giving me, find a way to block it. I don't want a single joule of it. That's what's making me suffer.  
\- But… what if you…  
\- Too scared to lose a friend? Too afraid to be alone? Think about others for once in your useless life! You make me live a nightmare, you should have let me die!  
\- I would never let a friend die.  
\- Keep your nonsense for yourself, you selfish girl! And keep your damned energy and if I die, that'll be a step up from that!"

She wanted to leave but Usagi caught her wrist, Rei took the other and while she squirmed Minako caught her by the waist and Ami by the legs, to prevent her from kicking. They could hold her but it wouldn't take them very far. At least as long as they held her she couldn't go and hide in her apartment.

Jupiter twisted some more in an attempt to pull free from them, then gave up. There was only one thing to do: "Supreme Thunder!" Her power went right through her own body, who cared since she didn't feel pain, and moved into the others'. All the energy from her transformation now spent, she lost it and ran in her normal form to get away from them. Rei, who either had been struck less hardly or resisted better than the others, went after her.

Makoto stopped when she saw a piece of wood on the side of the alley, she took it and brandished it. "Go help the others instead, take my advice. If I have to beat you…  
\- We will find a solution, Mako, let us help you.  
– There's nothing you can do! You can't save me, nothing can, I just want to go with dignity, is it too much asked? Think of me as dead, and never bother me again!"

She threw the stick at Rei with all of her strength, missing her on purpose but forcing her to dodge, and used the distraction to take a headstart over her. She didn't stop before being home, then locked and blocked the door.


	9. Chapter 9

Even though her intestines had stopped functioning several days earlier, going to the toilet wasn't useless, Makoto had found. On the contrary! The powerfully corrosive enzymes of her digestive tube had valiantly eaten their way through its wall and quickly liquefied her organs. It was better expelling their remains through the orifice that was supposed to be there rather than let it back up through her wound, or let herself bloat with putrefaction gases until her abdomen burst open. Keeping all this pestilence inside was unthinkable either way. Anyway, she doubted her sphincter's ability to contain the flow.

She took all her time doing that while her friends banged at the door, begging her to come out. Ignoring them, that was the best thing to do. The flushed away at least a litre of liquids, clots, pieces of flesh and the first boldest worms to reach the inside of her torso. She then jumped into the shower, washed as well as she could, then drank half a bottle of alcohol and rubbed a powerfully scented cleaning product onto all of her skin, it wasn't supposed to be overly corrosive but she wouldn't really know before the next day.

When she came out of the bathroom, after a treatment that would have killed her if it hadn't been too late for that, the bangs on the door continued. The girls outside renounced while she was inspecting her body, removing any insect, even the smallest ones and the ones looking dead. Then she laid down, applied some oil into her eyes, the water evaporating too fast, and stared at the ceiling for an undetermined amount of time.

She didn't move a muscle. Not to answer her communicator who rang many times, not to close the window when it rained, not when the sun set, bringing in the cold of autumn nights, not when it rose, not to dissipate the cloud of flies buzzing around her, excited by her smell and the heat of the afternoon, not even when one landed on her eye, laying its eggs on it. The larvae would soon have pierced it and by the time they would be large enough to pick out, they'd probably have dug all the way into her brain, boring their nasty little tunnels into it.

If she was lucky, once the inside of her skull eaten clean by these repulsive insects, she wouldn't be conscious anymore, wouldn't think. If she wasn't lucky, it would change strictly nothing. That's what she thought. Her brain-cells were all dead a long while ago anyway, her mind alone moved her limbs, trapped by this energy she came to hate in an increasingly hideous body.

It would have been easy not to move, to simply wait for eternity to pass, she didn't feel bored. If only she didn't think all the time, having to live her death forever wouldn't be that bad. But she was just so damn conscious, day after day, if only she could sleep, forever. If only Usagi could accept this, she was dead and she couldn't change that. She still hadn't moved when the sun rose one more time.

 

Wednesday, school day. Not for Usagi though. Her patience had reached its limit abruptly, without warning, at some point of her morning walk to school. She took a different path all naturally, and it headed to her friend's apartment. She would be there, she knew. Too sick to get out, too stubborn to get treated. She knocked anyway.

No answer. The words of Monday still rang in her head. Blames, insults, like in her nightmares, And this silence… no, that was only in her dream, where she still heard the silence of her heartbeat, but she couldn't remember well, right? That couldn't be reality.

Ami had explained her as stupid as it could be, Makoto had the right to refuse treatment. But Usagi didn't care of the law, her heart told her otherwise. The would knock her out if it was the only way, she would make her accept the help she needed!

She expected having to discuss with a closed door, but she had all she needed with her: "Moon Crystal Power Make Up!" Once transformed, she threw her tiara to the wooden panel that was her adversary. It went through in a rain of shards and the upper hinge broke. She passed the hand through the opening and undid the lock. The door was still blocked and the tiara was caught the other side. No problem, the upper half of the door only held by a third of the wood, she took out her sceptre and used it in a way Luna would have never approved of: as a hammer.

After a few blows of the object, which had the heaviness of gold after all, the wood gave way and a push allowed to pass. So that's why she couldn't open the door; many pieces of furniture had been pushed against it, including a chair who, nailed in place, knocked into the wall at any attempt of opening, it had only given way when the wall itself gave out. She headed toward the room but didn't have to come in.

Makoto came out, her matted hair hanging limply in front of her face, her bent posture expressing more hatred than weakness. Her sunken eyes were half hidden in a sinister shadow, her thin lips seemed tightened with anger, her meagre hands looking like claws, reaching slightly forward as if repressing the need to strangle someone. A wrinkled bath-gown added to her neglected look. Her entire body was a picture of hate.

Despite that, she welcomed the visitor: "I knew you would eventually come in, Usagi. Strangely I'm not surprised you came alone. So go ahead, make yourself at home!  
\- Makoto! You know exactly why I came.  
\- Believe me, having to go to the doctor is one of the worst things that could happen to me.  
\- I believe you, then. But if you know so well what is bad, what would be good?  
\- If none of that had happened, that would be good. Otherwise, that you keep your damned energy away from my body.  
– Out of the question. You could die.  
\- I think… it's time to show you something."

Makoto walked a few steps back into the room. Everything there was wet with dew and if all the apartment was cold, the room was freezing from the wind engulfing itself through the window, flapping the curtains. Dust was accumulating on the furniture, and the weakest plants were shrivelling under the effect of cold and thirst. That neglect was everything but her style. The air stank a mix of rotting, alcohol, soap and some other chemicals.  
"It's freezing here! You should shut this window… no, let me do it.  
\- No. No thanks Usagi. I can't stand the smell, leave it open.  
\- You'll make yourself sick!  
\- You don't want to understand, do you?"

She had looked toward the bottom wall since her return into the room, without turning around to speak to Sailor Moon, and still with her back to her, she detached her bathrobe. Finally turning toward her, she let down her only garment, and let her friend take all her time to look at her, keeping her head down and her eyes closed, ashamed to reveal a secret she didn't want to know herself.

Moon expected it to be ugly. What she had previously seen was ugly, after all. But it was worse than the worst she could have imagined. She felt her stomach convulse, as much of pity than disgust. The most visible, what was striking, was her death wound on her chest, an horrible slit between two ribs that could be seen through it, the flesh around it shrunken taut.

It was the most obvious, but there was more. The blood trapped by clotting in her capillaries had lost its burgundy colour, everywhere it hadn't been pressed out the skin when it was still fluid, it coloured it an unhealthy greenish yellow. The rest was a bloodless white, with abnormal pink lesions here and there.

Small enough perforations accompanied unthinkable holes under it, enormous pieces of the muscles underneath missing. Each wound was infested with flies and their thousands voracious young, which had undoubtedly caused it. It was these repulsive white worms that had enlarged the hole in her chest and she saw, one rib below, the first holes announcing they were on a good way to expand it past the bone.

Moon turned around and began running for the bathroom, but managed to control her nausea and came back.  
"Do you understand, now, why I want this to end?  
\- Makoto, you should have told me! I'm sorry!  
\- It's not your fault. Now that you know everything, you will let me go and you'll have done nothing wrong.  
\- No! It's entirely my fault, I've left you die once, I won't do it again!  
\- It's the only good thing to do! Would you want to live like this?  
\- No, but it's still better than death.  
\- It IS death! I am dead, are you blind? You can't keep me trapped any longer in this stinking corpse! If you are my friend…  
\- Mako-chan! I can't let a friend die! Never!  
\- How long do you intend to torture me in the name of friendship? I'm tired, I just want you to let me sleep, can you understand?  
\- I'll never let a friend die.  
\- So it's simple! she abruptly shouted. I'm not your friend! I hate you! Won't you let me rest in peace?  
\- Mako… please…  
\- If I have to kill you to be free, I'll do it. Release me! RELEASE ME!  
\- Mako…  
\- There's no Mako, only your enemy! Let me die!"

Makoto threw herself on her but Moon threw herself out of the way and had enough wisdom to run. She jumped through the broken door and didn't look back before the first flight of steps, sighting the naked woman in the door shaking her fist and cussing her out, using blasphemes she didn't even suspect existed. While she ran from floor to floor, she heard her insults turn into cries, then she was finally out of the block. She hid in the shadow of a hedge and cried too.


	10. Chapter 10

Wednesday evening. Their reunion wouldn't have been so disagreeable one day earlier, yesterday afternoon was warm, but tonight clouds sealed the sky hermetically, not a single ray filtered in, it was moist and cold, and the wind added to a light rain froze hands and feet. Autumn advanced, it couldn't be denied. November was coming.

Ami was showing Rei the results of some analysis while Minako absently caressed Artemis. They instinctively stood very close to each other in order to spare some warmth, it was definitely time to dress more warmly, and when Usagi arrived she had to push her way into the circle. Luna, who had waited apart from the group, jumped into her arms.

"So, Usagi giggled with a fake-looking smile, any news on your side?   
\- Yes, Rei proudly declared, we finally have the answer we needed about the enemy. Ami did a superb work of analysis, not without the information I gathered, of course. I managed to contact the entity and we know what it has against us.   
\- Ha yes? What? How do we defeat it?   
\- We don't. You see, I was surprised when I contacted its mind. It's a very primitive entity, that's why it was so difficult to contact, without intelligence, it couldn't plot against us. Yet it attacked us only, its avatars disperse afterward, but they only appear where we are. And despite all this useless aggression, its instinct knew no hate. It was terrified.   
\- Rei described it, Ami continued, and I looked at it. According to the monsters' behaviour, it doesn't know our world. It's after energy, that's why they seem stupid enough to kill themselves by running into walls or to attack inanimate objects: they don't see them. It doesn't even know what matter is, what kind of enemy would attack a world it knows so poorly? I traced its energy, and look what I've found."

Ami showed her computer's screen, where an ensemble of lines and curves were entangled on a four-axis graph no normal mind could comprehend. The expression Usagi gave her expressed perfectly the clarity her explanation blatantly lacked.

" They're isoenergy lines. The high concentration in the centre is the entity, and around it is the normal energy thread of its universe, and an obvious distortion on the i axis. The entity itself is distorted like the space around it. To compare, it's like being pinned to the wall with an iron bar through your body, without dying of course. Every time it wants to move it hurts itself, it might starve to death nailed in place. And apparently, there's your name on the bar.   
\- Huh?   
\- Speaking figuratively, Rei clarified. She means the distortion is made of your energy. The entity wants to escape at all cost; it throws random attacks every time it feels a Sailor warrior energy.   
\- So it's not evil?   
\- Not yet, but if it remains trapped and survive… its state already forces it to learn, to evolve, its last attacks were already smarter. It's normal for it to develop, but if it does like that, in pain and fear… lets say it won't have only joy in its heart.   
\- So, what do we do?   
\- It's one of your attacks that caused the distortion, we need to find out which, we go back where you launched and you activate the Moon Sceptre. If you want to know why, ask Ami, I can't make much sense of the squiggles her computer drew.   
\- Not activate it completely, Ami added without being asked, you'd kill it. The crystal fetches its energy in this dimension, if you weaken the thread the entity should be able to break free.   
\- I understood, Rei, Usagi remarked. How will I know what strength to use?   
\- I'll calculate it, but in practice you'll never know if you freed the entity or if you killed it."

Usagi let some time flow to confirm the subject was closed, then spoke: "I broke into Makoto's this morning. She had locked herself in well, I almost destroyed the lobby to open the door.  
\- I hope you had a good reason, you know she would be justified to send the police at you.   
– She won't, she won't want to see them in person. For the same reason she won't go see a doctor, and I think after all I agree with her.   
\- OK, Rei stopped her, suspense is already not your thing, now it's really not the time.   
\- Well… she's dead…  
\- WHAT?   
\- Not like you think! She walks and talks and all but… Two weeks ago, when I resurrected her, I… did it all wrong… Her body, well, it doesn't work normally.   
\- How, not normally? Usagi, does it always take a formal interrogation to get you to finish a sentence?   
\- Well, it's dead. Her heart doesn't beat, and it's rotting, it's hideous. Her wound, the one from the arrow, it's huge, and empty under, with… with worms on the edges and… like her legs and arms and she… she's all skinny and dry and… it's disgusting… dried skin… it's like burned… and the smell… she's dead, whatever we want to think! She is dead!"

Usagi had started to cry as she talked, and Rei abandoned her stern look to wrap her arm around her shoulders. Pity, guilt, grief, she had every reason to cry. As long as she didn't forget to act, to fix things. "She told me it was my fault! she continued, She said she wanted to kill me! She hates me, because it's my fault! It's my energy forcing her to live, she wants to die, she said she was ready to kill me to be free.   
\- Sort of like our entity, Rei said because she didn't know what else to say.   
\- Yeah, but the entity isn't asking to be killed! I don't know what to do; I have the power to make her live, but not to repair her body! She will continue to decompose alive forever. She said if I didn't let her die she would kill me, because she doesn't want to suffer anymore.   
\- We'll need to find a solution, if that's true leaving her in this state is unacceptable. You never could give back life without sacrificing yours, and unless I'm mistaken your mother Serenity couldn't either. It's an aberration, what happened with Makoto.   
\- Do you have a solution?   
\- Only one, and you don't want it.   
\- You want me to let her die, that's it?   
\- Yes. Even before she admitted it, before her body began to rot, she must have felt something was out of place. Remember how she wanted to hide the very first night, to isolate herself? It now makes sense, she's dead and should have stayed that way, she sensed she didn't belong in the world. If she's asking to be released herself, we should let things be what they are and free her.   
\- Rei, I hate you. Abandon your friends, murder them if you want, but I won't. I'll find a solution alone!"

To make sure she wouldn't insist, Usagi left without any further word for goodbye. She heard nothing from Ami and Minako even if they hadn't said they agreed with Rei, and Luna preferred to walk behind her, she remembered the last time Usagi had been so mad and she had let her carry her, she didn't want to do it again, ever.


End file.
